More Than a Playboy Read Free Page B

supervisors. Unless she managed to persuade Damien to change his mind. Her gaze flew to the little boy. Perhaps she could get through to him now he’d seen the tiger.
    Seeming to read her thoughts, Cam folded his arms across his chest. “You can try, but I have to warn you, you won’t change his mind.” He leaned close, his warm breath against her ear sent a shiver of excitement through her. “His mother overcompensates for him not having a father. Little Damien is used to getting things his way, he’ll throw a tantrum before he’ll let you call the shots as you’ve discovered already today.”
    The memory brought a sense of dread. If she never had to deal with a situation like the one she’d faced with Damien for the rest of her life, it would suit her fine. “Put like that, how can I resist your offer?”
    Cameron smiled that make-the-girls-weak smile, winked and tossed, “I thought you’d see things my way,” over his shoulder as he turned to settle a couple of the overzealous boys in his group.
    When Cameron was out of earshot, Lydia leaned close to Sandy’s ear. “Cam likes you,” she whispered with the confidence of someone with authority on the subject. “When Brad pulled my hair at school, my mummy said that it meant he liked me. Cam pulled your hair. It means he likes you. If you like him, you should smack him on the arm with your fingers, but not hard, or it might hurt.”
    Sandy smiled, sympathizing with Lydia’s future single friends. She turned Lydia’s head so she could whisper in her ear and caught a hint of berry shampoo from the little girl’s hair. “How about if I smack him over the head with a frying pan?”
    Lydia burst into breathless giggles that seemed to pronounce her adorable lisp. “No, silly! That would hurt.”
    And dissuade him from teasing her as a pastime. The notion of smacking him upside the head was growing on Sandy. Especially when he appeared out of the blue at her side and leaned close enough to put her on edge.
    “Didn’t your mum ever tell you it’s poor form to whisper in public? Some of us are borderline paranoid. I’m starting to think you’re talking about me.”
    Gloom descended over Sandy at the mention of her mother. She sobered as her stomach gave an agonized twist. Cameron must have noticed the change. He frowned, the teasing light faded from his eyes, replaced with concern as he touched her shoulder.
    “Hey, Sandy. Are you okay? Did I say something to upset you?” He straightened away from her, but he was still too close for her peace of mind.
    Stepping back to put some space between them, Sandy lowered Lydia to the grass. “No, of course not.”
    Cameron had just reminded her of the reason she vowed never to fall for a rich playboy like him. In an effort to shun any further conversation, she called to the children scattered around them. Jake and Adam were standing close by absorbed in an animated conversation about helicopters.
    “Hey, guys?” she beckoned to the other children. “How about an ice cream break?”
    Cameron took the hint, and when the boys caught up to him, he joined in the aircraft conversation, leaving Sandy to walk at Lydia’s pace.
    “Sandy?” Lydia cocked her head to the side as she gazed up at her.
    If she ever had a daughter, Sandy wanted her to be like Lydia. “Yes, sweetie?”
    “Are you going to the ball like Cinderella? My mummy said Cam is throwing a big ball to make money for all the children. But she says it’s not a real ball, it’s a party like the one Cinderella went to. Do you suppose you’ll meet a prince?”
    Sandy laughed. Chance would be a fine thing! “I doubt it, sweetheart. As far as I know, Cameron hasn’t invited any Princes.”
    “But imagine if you were to meet a real prince,” Lydia persisted. “What do you suppose he would be like?”
    “Oh, I think he’d be very handsome, and he’d already be married to a beautiful princess.” Wasn’t that just her luck?

4

    A fter making sure